Point Cabrillo Light Station

Although Point Cabrillo was surveyed by the U. S. Lighthouse Service in 1873, construction of the Light Station didn't begin until after the 1906 earthquake. The demand for lumber to rebuild San Francisco meant that maritime commerce on the north coast was at an all time high and a Lighthouse was critical to the safety of the ships and their valuable cargo. Construction of the Light Station began in 1908, and the lens was illuminated for the first time on June 10,1909, under head keeper Wilhelm Baumgartner.  The Point Cabrillo Lightstation a California State Historic Park, includes the historic 1909 Light Station (30.5 acres), and approximately 270 acres of undeveloped coastal bluffs and prairie. The property was purchased and preserved from development in 1992 by the California State Coastal Conservancy and managed by a non-profit affiliate, the North Coast Interpretive Association. In 2002, the property transferred to the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Management of the Preserve's programs and restoration activities was assumed by a newly formed non-profit organization: The Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association (PCLK). The California Department of Parks and Recreation provided the Coastal Conservancy with four million dollars to be used for the restoration of the historic Light Station.